The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-02
MINNIE'S CHOICE.

l q
oins DOOM She answered "Yes."
81
| HfNNtE1U Ttt0TNE IL
MAANlU ~ Ol1UlUU.
"you mus, co,ro v,,h 49, >,,. ,rE
NV - ~, UV' WIN nne' niinnle'
NO no! "hht claim have upon you
No, | will do something for myssli-teach,
or write, or eey-sometb;no, Tharo "a
soma n,cba vanar, ,rsit,.ata An't0 40
'' .,1, Nle.v vacant waiting lof me-
| fhe niche my Sisters death left vacant
years ago. Minnie, darling, we have been
sisters in love ever since onr achoo, davis.
lot -. T., ,,,,a-...n, ".u''' u"'''
NV 10 IN ~ a'ss,'' 1 '. ! AN mealtnyi you
are ieit poor by Ibis days sad work; now
lot me plead for your presence, your love.
Come hons with me. You NAV ssw
to,ob ur;,a onr,,,;n. 49,. .,n 10y GOV,
'o"en' "'''' "n''A'ls you WIZ, Dut iet
my nome Do you're. You arc too young
V i've alone come brighten my fathora
LIE and mine."
AND after much pleading tho young
petitioner won Minnie to her will.
Tho pretty childlike girl, who that day
haa 9aIiea aefiashef, having been mother
ICES from infancy, was indeed too young,
100 innocent and lovely, to live nlono in
tnls COLO, censofous world. She had
peen the petted darling OF her father, who
hsd Deeh 80 LAVISH OF hlg salary to supply
every des're or Hhim Of his child that his
aeath lelt ner penniless. Laura Goodwin,
ner chosen inend at school, had come
from her distant city home to comfort
Minnie IN her sorrow, and brought her
tather's cordial invitation to the orphan
70 make MS nome her future home.
widowed az; himself, With one child, he
could readily sympst4lze in Minnie's sor.
row, reaul'y second Lauras generous de-
slrea.
! he was waiting at the depot for the
travellers when they reached P, and in
the dim twilight Minnie could sec his tall,
erect hgure and ulgnlhet carriage, but hiH
lace WAS not Distinct in the gathering
darkness.. But whom tn bis own parior he
drew her Into bis arms and said, gently:
You must lot me I'LL your fathers place,
my dear.
MINNIE cav that the face bending over
hers was Kina ana GOOD. noble and true,
and shs shared Lnra'5 goodnight kiss
with Sigh OF relief, feeling that her new
home wac second only TO her own.
Laura, ta!i, stately, resolute with her
noble, h,m nature, was like the Roman
mstrons IN her dignlisd beauty, her gem
erous impluses, and firm, clear judgment;
while Minnie, petite, pretty and eareesing,
hmid and gentle, chung to and leaned upon
this noble nature as ivy winds around the
oak.
M. Goodwin, who almost idolizbd bis
child and bad given Minnie place in his
heart Tor lanrs's cake. coon learned to
love the M4Mdts Itt'n beauty for her
own. Not maay Jays elapsed, however,
before Jimmie insisted upon maintaining
her independence, and Leura procured
for her from her own friends dainty EN-.
broidery we'll suited for such fairy
hDgeTe, and Tor which abe VAS well paid.
| Whether the Gums gained or lost any.
thing by passing through Lsura's fingers
Minnie never thought to inquire.
And soon after Minnie's advent into the
family there came another change.
Laura, the stately beauty, found that her
heart had wandered from the home boun-
dsry to rest upon another love offered
and accepted. Her lover was d man in
every way calculated to make her happy;
q true, good man, and Mr.. Goodwin gave
a willing consent to the marriage.
1t wanted but month Of Laura's we'd
ding day. when, one afternoon, as the
girls were sitting in the parlor waiting the
summons to dinner, heavy fall over
head startled both. MIR. Goodwin's library,
which was directly above them, WAS evil
IDENTIFY the room whence the noise came,
and, after moment OF silent consterna.
ton, the two ran ewiitly upstairs, The
friend and father lay Rpon the floor,
where he had fallen after leaving his
chair, struck down with paralysis, insen.
sib!e.
1t WIS many days before speech was re.
stored, more before motion came TO sny
limb; bnt in the long illDesa Minnie threw
of all timidi.y, and Laura herself was not
a more tender or careful nurse. Tho I'D.
pointed wedding day WAS over, when one
morning Laura beckoned Minnie from the
invAliI's room and took her into the Il.
brsry. Her face was pale but resoute,
her eyes full OF suppressed pain, rs she
said:
"Siinnie, will you do painful task for
me?"
"You know that will do anything for
you, Laura"
"Thcn you will zee Herbert for me to-
dry and tell him this: DR.. Holmes said to
me to-day that my father vii! never again
regain the use OF his lover limbs. His
mind is now clear, and he can uee his
arms and hands, but from the lower limbs
1 the power to move ia gone for life. He
will be crippled, almost helpless, and /,
his child, can neve. leave him."
"Dors no know"
"Fathrr? Yes, DR.. Holmes told him."
"Eut Of your decision?"
"Nut yet. will tell him, while you-
you tell Herbert; cannot. Tell him no,
TO try and eee me, for cannot bear 1t |!
HerbOr;!"
1t wsp o yailiug cry OF parting, but
Minnie's lips smiled as she drew her
friends head to her boqom to caress her
ard soo!he the unspoken agony. After q
org silence phe aaid: